Brain Structures Associated with Internet Addiction Tendency in Adolescent Online Game Players

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Excessive online gaming in adolescents is a growing concern with significant individual and societal impacts.
• Previous research indicates altered gray-matter volume (GMV) in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), but the adolescent brain's response remains unclear.
• Understanding the relationship between IGD tendency and GMV in adolescents is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between the tendency for Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and whole-brain gray-matter volume (GMV) in adolescents.
• To identify specific brain regions associated with IGD tendency in this demographic.
• To explore potential neurobiological underpinnings of IGD in adolescents.

Main Methods:

• High-resolution anatomical imaging was conducted on 67 male adolescents.
• Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) assessed IGD tendency.
• Voxel-based correlation analysis using FSL identified relationships between GMV and IAT scores, controlling for age and education.

Main Results:

• Negative correlations were found between IAT scores and GMV in the postcentral gyri, precentral gyri, precuneus, posterior midcingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobe, and middle frontal gyrus.
• These correlations persisted in key regions (postcentral gyri, precentral gyrus, pMCC, MFG) even after controlling for total gaming time.
• Adolescents with higher IAT scores exhibited lower GMV in these identified brain regions compared to those with lower scores.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent IGD tendency is associated with reduced GMV in brain areas vital for sensorimotor processing and cognitive control.
• These findings suggest specific neuroanatomical targets for the prevention and treatment of Internet gaming disorder.
• This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the neurobiological factors contributing to IGD in adolescents.